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What You Need to Know

Serving more than 4 million customers, the low-cost network Tesco Mobile is the result of a partnership between O2 and Tesco. Started in 2003, the network offers incentives--including Tesco Clubcard Points, Top-Up Tripling and Family Perks--you won’t find on other networks. Capped bills make it easy to keep your mobile budget in line too.

Tesco Mobile offers both pay monthly and pay-as-you-go (PAYG) service. Pay monthly tariffs range between £7.50 and £20 with a range of minute and data allotments. PAYG plans range between £5 and £20 for bundles.

SIM-only plans make it easy to bring your existing device. Should you need a new phone, 24-month phone contracts make it easy to bundle the cost of an upgrade into your tariff. Tesco Mobile offers a decent selection of budget and flagship options from major manufacturers.

Xtras App: Earn up to £3 per month off your mobile tariff by allowing Tesco Mobile to display ads on the lock screen of your mobile phone.

Capped Contracts: By capping your account, you can use your phone without worrying about surprises on your bill. Instead of charging per-use rates or overage fees, your phone service will suspend until the next billing cycle.

How's the Network Coverage and Speed?

Tesco Mobile partners with O2 to offer service in the UK. Their 3G network covers 98% of the UK population. Their 4G network covers 78%. If you’re near a major UK city, you should have no problem finding 4G or 4G LTE service.

You can check coverage and network types in your area at their support page.

In the 2016 “Speedtest Market Report UK”, O2 ranked fourth for both upload and download speeds. Uploads averaged 8 Mbits per second while downloads averaged 16 Mbits per second.

Do They Charge Roaming Fees?

If you’re travelling in the EU, all Tesco Mobile tariffs include the Home from Home feature. This means that you can place calls, send texts to the UK or use data using your monthly allotment for no additional fee.

There are a few limitations, including:

4G access is not available while roaming

If you use more than 12GB of data, a surcharge applies to further usage

Does Tesco Mobile Offer Wi-Fi Calling?

Not exactly. Tesco Mobile does not support native Wi-Fi calling features.

While they have the Tesco International Calling app, this is not the same as the Wi-Fi Calling offered through other networks. Usage is billed separately from your mobile tariff, even for local calls.

How About Voice over LTE (VoLTE)?

No.

Can I Tether My Mobile?

Yes! You can tether using your tariff’s data allowance at no additional charge. If you don’t have a data allowance or go over your data allowance, you’ll pay standard data rates.

NOTE: Tethering with a laptop or gaming console will often result in more data use than using your phone. If you have a tariff with a small data bucket, monitor your tethering usage to avoid unwanted surprises.

Can I Rollover Unused Data?

No. None of Tesco Mobile’s tariffs include data rollover.

What Add-ons or Bundles are Available?

Tesco Mobile offers a selection of data bundles to help you keep data costs low.

Can I Bring My Own Mobile?

You’ll find a full list of pay monthly, PAYG and mobile data plans on their SIM Only Tariffs page.

Do They Require a Credit Check?

All UK pay monthly plans require a credit check. PAYG bundles do not require a credit check if you already have a phone or pay for a new phone in full.

Requirements include:

You must be at least 18 years of age

You must have a UK credit or financial history

If you’re on the electoral roll at your address and have good credit, this can help to both speed up the credit check process and reduce the chance of needing to pay a large deposit.

To perform the check, Tesco Mobile will likely ask for:

Your name, date of birth and marital status

Your current address and other addresses in the past 3 years

A credit/debit card or bank account registered to your current address

Tesco Mobile checks Equifax, Experian and CallCredit.

NOTE: Credit checks from networks that pull your credit bureau report may impact your credit score. If you're not sure the best options for your credit profile, we suggest contacting the network before attempting to obtain service.

Do They Charge an Early Termination Fee?

“Please call Customer Care on 4455 from your Tesco Mobile phone or 0345 301 4455 to request to cancel your contract. If you’re leaving before the end of your contract then fees will apply.

You'll receive a final bill from us, which will include any recent usage. It won't be any more than your monthly line rental, unless you made calls to non-standard numbers.”

Can I Port My Number To or From Tesco Mobile?

All mobile networks in the UK must provide a PAC Code upon request. Giving this code to a new network will allow you to transfer your number.

To port your number to or from Tesco Mobile, contact customer support and request your PAC code. They must deliver your PAC code within 2 hours of your request.

To receive your PAC code:

The account you are trying to transfer from must remain open.

You must be able to verify your identity through either personal documents or payment history

Once you receive your code, contact Tesco Mobile or your new network and give them the code. In most cases, your number will transfer within 1 to 2 business days. Be sure to complete this process quickly, as PAC codes expire 30 days from the date they are issued.

Will They Unlock My Mobile?

Yes!

For Pay Monthly subscribers, you can unlock your mobile or tablet at any time for no charge.

For PAYG subscribers, you can unlock your mobile or tablet 12 months after activation. There is a one-time fee of £10.

For other questions about pricing, features and coverage, be sure to check our Tesco Mobile Q&A Forum. It’s filled with questions and answers from people like you looking to get the most out of their mobile service!

If you spot any errors or missing information, please let us know! It's appreciated and will help make this page better for everyone.

Critic Reviews

There is plenty of choice of tariffs, plans and handsets

The only letdown is the lack of unlimited data, minutes and texts. But Tesco Mobile makes up for the usage restrictions by letting users cap their use and with the added bonus of Clubcard points that will then help make the cost of other items such as shopping or holidays cheaper. Users are also...More

The only letdown is the lack of unlimited data, minutes and texts. But Tesco Mobile makes up for the usage restrictions by letting users cap their use and with the added bonus of Clubcard points that will then help make the cost of other items such as shopping or holidays cheaper. Users are also getting one of the most highly rated and award-winning providers, so we'd say it is well worth putting Tesco Mobile in your basket.

A legit option for your phone and tablet

The big idea with Tesco Mobile is to offer low prices and excellent value for money. This is similar to the company’s objectives with its supermarkets. But because it is a virtual network, there are limitations, though coverage, generally speaking, is pretty good.

The big idea with Tesco Mobile is to offer low prices and excellent value for money. This is similar to the company’s objectives with its supermarkets. But because it is a virtual network, there are limitations, though coverage, generally speaking, is pretty good.

Loads of pay as you go options

Tesco Mobile has a wider range of Pay As You Go options than most networks, with bundles and plans to suit almost any type of user, as long as that user wants to pay as they go. It also has a wide range of Pay Monthly plan durations, and it’s generally competitively priced.

Tesco Mobile has a wider range of Pay As You Go options than most networks, with bundles and plans to suit almost any type of user, as long as that user wants to pay as they go. It also has a wide range of Pay Monthly plan durations, and it’s generally competitively priced.

Great value, mixed performance

Tesco Mobile is never going to have a cool image, and its speeds and coverage are limited by the host network. Still, O2 is expanding, and if you’re in an area with good coverage, Tesco has a lot to recommend it. It’s reasonably cheap, with an extensive range of handsets and SIM-only deals, a...More

Tesco Mobile is never going to have a cool image, and its speeds and coverage are limited by the host network. Still, O2 is expanding, and if you’re in an area with good coverage, Tesco has a lot to recommend it. It’s reasonably cheap, with an extensive range of handsets and SIM-only deals, and its sensible approach to spending caps will be a winner for many families.

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